China Insider

News.

What we're reading, writing, and arguing about — every week.

Business

Taobao’s New Courier Uniforms Look Straight Off the Runway 💅

Taobao has unveiled a new generation of uniforms for its delivery riders, combining sleek design with upgraded functionality — and sparking widespread…

Aug 271 min read
Food

McDonald’s Turns 7,100+ China Stores into “Maimai Island”

McDonald’s China just flipped the switch on a nationwide summer takeover called “Maimai Island” (麦麦岛)—aka McDonaldland, but make it 2025 and super IRL.

Aug 251 min read
Food

Shenzhen Opens First McDonaldland Museum 🎉

McDonald’s China just flipped the switch to vacation mode: from Aug 13–31, over 7,100 restaurants nationwide are themed as “麦麦岛 / McDonaldland” with…

Aug 251 min read
Lifestyle

Chinese creator builds a metro station for his cats

Chinese influencer Xing Zhilei (Xing’s World on YouTube) just spent four months building a fully working mini subway for his cats 🚇🐱 — complete with platform…

Aug 231 min read
Lifestyle

Forget Tinder—Gen Z in China Are Dropping Full CVs on RedNote for Love 💌

On RedNote, China’s Instagram-meets-Pinterest app, young people aren’t just swapping outfit inspo or skincare tips anymore—they’re posting what looks…

Aug 201 min read
Business

Guangzhou Levels Up: Miniso Land Turns Into the Street’s New Landmark 🌈

So, Miniso just dropped their huge new flagship store on Beijing Road in Guangzhou—think of it as the Miniso glow-up you never knew you needed.

Aug 181 min read
Lifestyle

Midnight Mani in a Movie Theater? China’s New Nail Salon Trend Is Wild💅🎬

Midnight Mani in a Movie Theater?

Aug 171 min read
Society

China Introduces K Visa — A Fast Lane for Young Scientists & Engineers

China just added a fresh letter to its visa alphabet: K.

Aug 151 min read
Food

When KFC Goes Street: Colonel Sanders Has a Side Hustle 🍗🛒

Brace yourself — KFC in China isn’t just sitting pretty behind glass counters anymore 🍗.

Aug 141 min read
Fashion

Louis Vuitton’s Luggage Goes Soul-Searching Across China

Fresh off opening its ship-shaped concept store in Shanghai 🚢, Louis Vuitton just launched “The Spirit of Travel”, a campaign taking its iconic trunks…

Aug 121 min read
Society

🌈 Shandong Highway Turns Into a Nightclub to Keep Sleepy Drivers Awake

Highway in Shandong, China Goes Full Rave Mode to Fight Driver Fatigue🪩🕺💃 Drivers cruising through a highway in Shandong might think they’ve stumbled into a…

Aug 91 min read
Viral

It’s So Hot, Cities in China Are Showing Fan Videos on the Streets😂

It’s So Hot, Cities in China Are Showing Fan Videos on the Streets 😂 As brutal heatwaves hit China 🔥, some shopping malls — like Wuyue Plaza 吾悦广场 and Wanda…

Aug 11 min read